Sotheby’s first Bitcoin non-fungible token (NFT) auction, “BitcoinShrooms” by Shroomtoshi, concluded on December 13, amassing $450,850.
Unveiled on December 7, the auction featured three pixelated image NFTs — “S,” “Sovereign Individual,” and “BIP39 Seed” — reminiscent of Mario Bros cartoon style, with initial estimated prices ranging from $20,000 to $30,000.
Surpassing expectations, one NFT sold for eight times its estimate, while the other two achieved nearly five times higher prices: $241,300 for “S,” $107,950 for “Sovereign Individual,” and $101,600 for “BIP39 Seed.”
The collection was designed by Shroomtoshi to honor Bitcoin’s 13-year history, with each image referencing a specific crypto theme. For instance, “BIP39 Seed” depicted an avocado cut in half, with the seed resembling the private keys linked to crypto transactions.
Introduced in January 2023 by developer Casey Rodarmor, Bitcoin Ordinals have gained widespread adoption, boasting over 47 million inscriptions to date.
Since their inception, Bitcoin NFTs have been embraced by various companies, including industry giants.
In April, Asprey and Bugatti unveiled the Egg Collection, featuring physical and Bitcoin NFT egg-shaped artworks. In March, Yuga Labs, the company behind popular NFT collections like Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), presented the TwelveFold Bitcoin NFT auction, concluding with over $16 million in collections.